Means for preserving oil-paintings and similar art objects.



K. MUSSBEGK. MEANS FOB. PRBSERVING OIL PAINTINGS AND SIMILAR ART OBJ-ECTS. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1911.

1,031,727.` Patented July 9, 1912.

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APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9v, 1911.

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KARL MUSSBECK, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR PRESERVING OIL-PAINTINGS AND SIMILAR ART OBJECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1912.

Application filed Qctober 9, 1911. Serial No. 653,705.

To all whom. t may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL MUssBEoK, a citizen of Germany, residing at Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented new and Improved Means for Preserving Oil-Paintings and Similar Art Objects, of which the :following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for preserving works of art such as oil paintings, water color paintings, graphic objects and similar articles from destruction.

Briefly stated the invention consists in turnishing the article to be protected with an envelop of nitrogen gas, and in providing a casing of peculiar construction which is adapted to contain said article and to be charged with said gas.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a cross section of a case embodying my invention on line G-I-I, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the case partly in section on line J-IQ Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a detail of the joint between the rim and front plate; Fig. 4 a modiiication of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a front view partly in section on line E-F, Fig. 6, of a modiiication of the case; Fig. 6 a side view partly in section on line A-B, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a 'detail on a reduced scale of the rear plate shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 a detail of the filling nozzle.

My improved casing for preserving pictures comprises essentially a glass back plate a, a glass front plate b and an intermediate rim al, that connects the plates along their bottom and sides, the parts being connected in an air tight manner by burnt mastic or otherwise. At their top, the inner sides of the parts, a, a1, b are ground and polished to form a seat for an oblong top piece Z which is cemented or otherwise connected to the case after the picture P has been inserted. One side a2 of the seat and the corresponding side of top piece d are preferably slightly chamfered to obtain sufficient pressure between the contacting surfaces for cementing, after the top piece has been properly tted in position. The latter is further provided with a port u for the admission of nitrogen gas which port may be subsequently closed by a suitable glass plug and mastic. The front plate Z) is connected to the rim al either by a strip of mastic c as illustrated in Fig. 4: or by fusion as illustrated in Fig. 3. The painting or other object of art is held in position and simultaneously protected against shocks,

etc., by a cushioning kstrip y, which also serves to space the painting from the front plate Z).

Means may be provided for automatically regulating the pressure within the casing so as to conform to the atmospheric pressure. These means consist of a receptacle e secured -to back plate a and divided into two mercury compartments el, e2 by means of an intervening partition e3. Compartment e1 communicates with the atmosphere by a vent g, while compartment e2 communicates with the interior of the casing by a duct g1 provided with an asbestos screen t. The compartments e1, e2 also communicate with each other by a tube et which is provided with cocks g and opens into compartments el e2 by Haring mouths f. The mercury charge contained in both compartments and in tube et will upon an increase of atmospheric pressure fall in compartment e1 and rise in compartment e2 so as to effect a corresponding increase of gas pressure within the casing. When the atmospheric pressure sinks, the operation is reversed as will be readily understood. The cocks g are always open, excepting when the casing is transported or laid down fiat. l

In Figs. 5 8, the casing is shown to be made of metal with a glass front Z) which is iitted to a flanged metal rim b1. The latter is connected to a thin metal back plate c1 having strengthening stays di el. The corners of the case are reinforced by angle pieces g1 secured to the rim and back plate. A rubber or similar band 7c, accommodated within a recess b2 of rim l), straddles the edge of glass plate I) and provides an air tight closure while it simultaneously permits an independent expansion or contraction of the parts Z) b1. The picture is held in position by springs p1 abutting against the upper rim b1 of the casing. A frame m1 of angular cross section straddles the corner of the rim and is secured thereto by screws al, so as to bear against packing 7c, and thus insure a tight joint at the edge of plate b. Each filling aperture for the nitrogen is provided with a threaded sleeve g1 that contains a rubber plug r1 placed between a pair of metal diskse o1, u1. A cap t1 engaging sleeve g1 will when screwed down so expand plug r1 that a tight closure is effected.

By destruction of the painting through dampthe use of the nitrogen envelop, the

Copies of this patent vmay be vobtained for five cents each, by addressingthefCommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

muri-1M.: i..

r signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

KARL MUSSBECK.

Witnesses:v y

ARTHUR VQW. Cor'rnn, MATHILDE K. HELD. 

